New Upper School Blessed At Holy Spirit Prep

ERIKA ANDERSON, Staff Writer

Published: November 25, 2004

ATLANTA—A candlelit ceremony marked the beginning of a permanent school tradition as Holy Spirit Preparatory School celebrated its new upper school building on Nov. 8.

Archbishop John F. Donoghue was the principal celebrant of the Mass and blessing of the upper school, which shares its property with Holy Spirit Church on Northside Drive.

Parents and students gathered in the spacious church, and the resounding sounds of Holy Spirit Church’s pipe organ filled the building as Archbishop Donoghue incensed the altar to begin the Mass.

Students from the upper school—those in grades nine, ten and eleven—sat in the first few pews wearing blazers embroidered with the Holy Spirit crest.

Msgr. Edward Dillon, pastor of Holy Spirit Church and chairman of the board of the private Catholic school, walked around the church addressing the students during his homily.

“It is a great pleasure to have Archbishop Donoghue here and to have him bless the campus, which has been named in his honor,” he said, referring to the upper school, which has been named the Archbishop John F. Donoghue Campus.

He talked to the students about the matriculation ceremony that was to be held that night. He asked the students if they were aware of the importance of matriculation, and laughed when he didn’t receive a response.

“I can never get these kids to talk, these older students. I’m sure your teachers don’t have the same problem,” he said.

The high school students, he said, are in a period of transition from being adolescents to young adults.

“You’re growing a little bit older, getting more mature and gaining more freedom,” he said. “The upper school is preparing you for that.”

Though they are young, the students still have a responsibility to serve God.

“Your job of making Christ present in the world doesn’t have to wait until you go off to college,” he said. “Your job is right now. I want to remind you of your responsibility of making Christ present in the world … that way when you go off to college, you truly are the light of the world.”

Following Communion, the archbishop gave his remarks, which focused mainly on Msgr. Dillon.

“I want to recognize and thank on behalf of us all, Msgr. Dillon—certainly for this school, which was born of an idea he had some years ago, and with terrier-like tenacity, would never thereafter release, until it was a finished product, and ready for operation,” he said. “But though we do single out today, this particular school, we must also recognize a certain completeness of vision that belongs to Monsignor, and from which this parish, and this neighborhood, have benefited greatly during his years as pastor of Holy Spirit.”

There is no better way to live a Catholic vision of life and values than to center as much of one’s life as possible around the church, the archbishop said.

“Msgr. Dillon has worked diligently, and with great self-sacrifice, to bring about this ideal situation in your parish. He has done it for the Church, and for the aspirations which reside within his own mind and heart,” he said. “But most especially, he has done it for the People of God—for you. He deserves, and we gladly give, a major portion of our gratitude on this day to him, and we pray that God may bless him with many more years to lead, to work, and to accomplish great things for the people over whom he exercises pastoral care.”

The congregation responded with thunderous applause for their pastoral leader.

When Mass ended, the upper school faculty and students left the church and went into the narthex. Each student was given a candle and two by two, carrying their candles, hands cupped to shield the flame, the students processed back into the church.

The archbishop explained the significance of the event.

“In future years this ceremony will be for students entering the ninth grade, but this year we are matriculating all of the students now in their freshman, sophomore or junior years,” he told them.

The word matriculation comes from the Latin word, “matricula,” which means a public roll, the archbishop said.

“Today you have each brought forward a candle to symbolize God-given light that you bring into our high school; now you will deliver this candle to the administration of the school and sign your name as an enrolled high school student in the ledger that is to serve as the school’s Matricula. The candle will be returned to you at graduation in order that you may then take the light of your faith and learning into the world,” he said.

Msgr. Dillon, Holy Spirit Prep chaplain Father Paul Moreau, LC, junior high school principal Bob Pelletier, and Holy Spirit Prep president Gareth Genner then read the students’ names. The students then stepped forward with their lit candle and were given a silk tie bearing the Holy Spirit Prep crest. Headmaster Darren Pascavage waited at the end of the aisle holding the ledger, which each student signed.

Following the matriculation ceremony, attendees walked over to the upper school campus as the archbishop walked throughout the buildings sprinkling holy water.

The upper school campus, which serves students in grades seven-twelve, opened in September. It was funded by the $7 million Founders Campaign, which is part of the $22 million Realization of Our Dream project.

Construction began after the Dec. 9, 2003 ground-breaking for the upper school campus.

The exterior of the new buildings, which were designed by Cooper Carry Architects of Atlanta, are in classical European university style. The interior of the 24,000-square-foot liberal arts building reflects the American arts and crafts style of design and use of materials. It includes 14 new classrooms, a two-story galleried university-style library with a reading atrium, a chapel, a reception lobby, a café and offices for the headmaster and president.

The interior of the 33,000-square-foot commons building contains three state-of-the-art science laboratories for biology, chemistry and physics, a robotic observatory for astronomy, fine arts facilities including a performance stage and a dressing room, and band, chorus and art classrooms. A competition-size gymnasium for basketball and volleyball, and weight and locker rooms, as well as coaches’ offices, are also located in the commons building. Other interior features include an area for socializing and food service, with an adjoining kitchen. Brasfield & Gorrie was the general contractor for the new facilities.

For many parents, the draw of Holy Spirit Prep is not only in its beautiful buildings, but also in its academic and spiritual formation.

Denise Dale, a mother of three Holy Spirit Prep students, said that the spiritual formation that students receive from the Legionaries of Christ was the main reason she decided to enroll three of her five children after years of homeschooling. But she and her husband were also impressed with the individual attention that students receive.

“The smallness of the school is a huge plus because there is a lot more opportunity to get more kids involved,” she said. “(The new buildings) are fantastic. They are just beautiful and I think it fosters a lot of school pride.”

Headmaster Pascavage agrees, and believes his students are excited to be a part of the school’s growth.

“The students are obviously quite proud of the beautiful new facilities and are very pleased to be the first group of young people to benefit from the use of the upper school campus,” he said.

Holy Spirit Prep has a total enrollment of 465 students, of which 150 are at the upper school. The lower school, the Donnellan Campus, is located on Long Island Drive and serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The upper school will add a twelfth grade next year.

Also starting next year, freshmen will be the only ones participating in the matriculation ceremony, and Pascavage expects it to become an important tradition.

“Each student signed their name into a leather-bound matricula, and future high school students will do so as well,” he said. “This aspect of the ceremony both confers privileges upon the students as high schoolers while at the same time reminding them of their responsibilities as leaders on our campus. I expect that, in future years, students will appreciate the contributions made to the school, and to the community at large, by those individuals whose names were entered into the matricula before them.”

Pascavage is proud of his students and their readiness to be leaders, he said.

“I am most proud of the way that students have responded to our expectations through the first few months of school,” he said. “Their attitude, their school spirit, their enthusiasm and the leadership of our older students has been tremendously impressive.”

For parents like Dale, that is one of the most important aspects of her children’s education.

“The school is preparing them to be good Catholics and responsible adults,” she said. “I think we’re very lucky to have this school in our archdiocese.”